New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1887-09-25
A NARROWING FAILURE.
THE ECLIPSE OBSERVERS IN JAPAN DE-
FEATED BY CLOUDS.


SHIRAKAwA, Japan, August 20.
The United States Eclipse Expedition consisting
n Professor ID. p. Todd accompanied by his WIFE,
and the Rev w. j. Holland. Pb. d., OF Pittsburs,
Penn. reached Yokohama on July y. and was
Immediately recruited by tho addition OF Lieuten-
mt w. VI. H. Switzerland, L. ; N, and Passed
Assistant Engineer Pemberton, U. s. ~, who we're
detailed ty Admiral Chandler, under the nstrnc-
tions OF the Secretary of the Navy, to accompany
the cApeditiou The services of Mr.. H. Hitchcock,
of the Smithsonian Institution, temporarily resid-
ing 10 Japan were also secured Mr. Hitchcock
wac accompanied by Mrs. Hitchcock. Arrange
ments were also made by which the services o. =
number Of other persons. resident Foreigners "n"
natives might be secured TO assist IN the man puls
ton of the various Instruments at tue Time OF epo
eclipse. preliminary tour OF Observation e&Oenu-
ing from Toxic nOrthward. through Ctsihomiyo'
Krro;so. Shirakawa, Shhasaka, and Nikko, was
undertaken by Professor Todd. DIR. HollaDh' ana
Lieutenant Switzerland, accompanied by DEW. N.
Whitney tho accomplished and amisble Interpreter
of the United States Legation in Toxic whose ser
vices the Minister Resident Of the United States
kindly placed at tie disposal Of The party. Inc
result of this we'll rs repeated conferences
with DR. Knipalng the head of the Meteorological
Bureau of the Japanese Imperial Navy DEPART
mont, lei TO the selection of Shirakawa rs the lite
for observations OF the eclipse. Professor Todd
Toxic and Immediately made arrangements for the
transfer of the instruments of the expedition from
Yokohama to the site selected, which is l13 miles
north of Toxic by rail.
Sbirakawa was reached upon July %. Author
ity had been received from the Military Depart
inent OF the japanese Government 10 occupy the
ruins Of The Castle at Shirakawa which formerly
b-longed TO the Abe family, adherrnts of the
ShOgun, who in the revolution of 1868 had with
Other da MOS or native princes, been ovorthrowh
by the followers Of the Mikado. The ruins const-
tute massive pile and cover territory nearly
thee quarters Of a mile Ia diameter. The citadel
of the castle, which commands a wide prospect
over broad and fertile valley, bounded upon the
Western horizon by o range Of mountains OF which
Nasu-take is the highest peak, was chosen as the
immediate site of the party of observation Shelter
tents kindly loaned by the War Department OF the
apanese Cove rnment were at once erected to cover
the party, who after brief stay at the prlnclpai
inn In the town removed TO them upon July rs.
All the instruments brought from the unted
States, and q large number loaned by Admiral
Yanagi photographer of the Japanese Navy, from
the Naval Observatory attached to his bureau,
were successfully transported from Toxic &c Shra-
kaws Mr.. Narabara president OF the Japanese
Railroad Company, providing free transportation
for the same and all members of tie party. Inc
Project of Fukusbima. to which ken Shirakawa
belongs provided at once the necessary military
and police protection 10 guard the party against
unnecessary intrusion and too much thanks cannot
lie expressed for this kindly measure.
The erection OF the necessary buildings, which
had to be OF unusual stability, owiDg to the
nature of the instruments. was at once begun. in
two weeks the essential parts Of the larger appar-
atus we're all in position, only awaiting the finish
ing touches OF the astronomer to adjust them and
bring them into periuct working order, anu in due
time the minute and elaborate preparations had
been completed After ught made memorable,
as one or two Others had by slight shocks OF
earthquake SD sligbt however, as not to interfere
with the 30 itiou of the wels-monnted instruments
of the OK petition, the longe1 Jectei day dawned
Above was clOutIess sis, but all along the
horizon, NORTH south, east 2ai west, the sunlit
tops Of great cumul"s clouds reared themselves.
The reports from elsew here in japan showed preva-
lent unfavorabe conditions. NJ NiIgiIa. tho sta
tipn chosen Dy the japanese Department Of the
Interior for locating observ.Ug party, it was
raining heavily. We hoped that the blne ky
above us mi ght cOntlnue TO be noirvadec by the
cloudy hosts encanp,d around AZ Oc Ock. the
eonr IONS apparently most favorable, but
suddenly tho summit of Nasutake, the volcano tf-
teen mics To- west, began to pour forth with
apparently hun,red- fold energy T. eat masses OF
steam 4 dense cloud formed about the cone and
iraiied downward along the tanks of the noun
tain and as il to meet the clOnd ISSUING from the
bowels of the earth, the clouds far OF began to
gather. The north grow black. pea oil thunder
bar upon tie storm swept by Us 10 the
east, u stOim sweep before Us TO tue 80 Ill., III was
raining everywhere abound n', AMI over our hea 8
the great ciouds gathered, hOated ANA l1zhy
whecied. The moment Of first cOurac came. The
sun vas Invisible Blank nltnlay IL iei the minds
of the party OF anxious watchers II oil the Clouds
beg 10 part, ray OF sun lgbt shot downward
upon the ear tn AID we saw the dick oil the great
central lum'Dary one fourth eclpsed' Inc gongs
ant drums in tue town began 10 sonnd. Inc
pm0o-hcliocraph Drought into reputation.
Bat only for an instant did hope cheer Us Inc
clouds gain fei thicker ana Ia cker ana at last
was nignt. "a night sudden. a"einsDlrng IN It's
descent. Tho voices of nature were husbed, d
vii , confused clamor rUsa from the ,honsan who
tLIOc. cd The streets of the Town into Inch the
railroad for two days past had been pouiug visit
of hgn auc low degree, princes ana peasants.
fash of .ightuing for IA moment lit up tue glU0m
of tie inky purple folds above our heids iaint
orange glow revealed the northeastern nd south.
western al. The inky ball oi the moon seemed
To- aHpear among The wrrdtb5 OF Vapot Tor an IN
staut; then again gulcky as Diy hit hid falien on
the earth, II was day again,the SHINING crescent
OF the growing sun Tor all instant appearing IN the
mists and then tnishing. Immediately overhead
WAS great bue opening III the sky, but no
friendly breeze ne 10 our assistance To move IL
downward toward the western ORION and let the
glory III, but through that window trairslnen ana
pra-ants Few mites away caught view OF what
they could not icl!y comprehend, but winch We
lad come thousands OF mic ard had spent thou
sands OF dollars 10 observe.
II consolation can be derived from the mis-
fortunes of Others have at least s0ace in the
knowledge that all the observing parties sent out
hv the Japanese Departments in different direc-
tious ere less for unate han We vera. Pro
fessor Terao, of tho Imper.a University, for the
thru time 10 HE life sat under an umbrella IN
drenching rain. VAN ATTEMPTING To see the sun 10
total eclipse. The Niigata party sent out by the
Interior Department report entire failure OF their
attempts. The only prints In Japan where II is
reported that the total phase clearly ob,erved
for few moments UtsOn0mlya where the
clouds parted at totally for bTiet interval. and
Koryaina, where the same phenomenon took place.
The former point is on the eXtrem- southern edge
of tho track of totally and the latter upon its
northern boundary. In additiO 10 this. strangely
enough volunteer Observers stationed upon the
narrow spit of land jutting ont into the Pacific just
south of Mito. n place uncomfortable account of
the >tenches of the fishing villages where pllcbards
by the tor are converted into fertilizers. declare
that they hal a clVudess sky throughout the entire
lima Tbo may pet a1 a